Facebook post apparently wrongly identifies man as dog rapist
Although it appears that the post has been deleted after setting the community’s tongues wagging about the alleged “crime”, the post was shared by others and quickly spread via social media.
A local man has threatened to press charges against another resident he claims has defamed him on social media, by posting information wrongly identifying him as the Reiger Park man who was recently caught having sex with a dog.
The problem started after the Advertiser ran a story about 23-year-old Venesh Smith of Reiger Park, who was recently sentenced to six months’ imprisonment for bestiality at the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court.
READ STORY: Sentenced to prison for having sex with dog |
Although the Advertiser ran the story without a photo of the accused, it has since came to our attention that a Facebook user allegedly copied the article from the Advertiser’s website, posted it on Facebook, and then attached a photo of another man who happens to be a Venesh Smith.
The photo attached to the Facebook post purported to be an accurate picture that was used in the original article to identify the animal abuser.
The post misidentifying Smith as the animal rapist reportedly caused a social media furore in the township, with many residents lashing out angrily at the falsely identified convict.
Smith said the author of the messages posted on the community Facebook page, called Reiger Park Connect, is a woman known to him and she lives in his neighbourhood.
“I have been falsely identified by the woman as an animal rapist and my reputation has been dragged through the mud. This has done irreversible damage to my good name as I have been labelled a pervert and animal rapist. Many people changed towards me, with others quickly distancing themselves from me,” said Smith.
One of Smith’s relatives, who only identified herself as Lahloe, said her nephew is going through an unpleasant situation and resorted to remaining indoors because of the dangerous false identification by the Facebook user.
“He was threatened by some people believing the posts and out of fear for his life he spent most of the time indoors.
“People now see him as an animal rapist as messages of hate started to pour in from angry residents who suggested he is a sick monster who should be kept away from pets,” said Lahloe.
Lahloe and other concerned community members said they hope this follow-up story would help set the record straight and perhaps undo the hatred the Facebook post created about Smith.
The woman in question could not be reached for comment.
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